§ Lord Burtonasked Her Majesty's Government:
How many applicants under the terms of the Firearms (Amendment) Act 1997 for compensation for pistols, revolvers and accessories have:
[HL348]
- (a) served notices on the Home Office stating intention to sue for payments, and
- (b) issued proceedings in the county courts, listing; (i) the numbers in each case; (ii) the name of each court; and (iii) the current state of each action.
§ Lord Williams of MostynThe number of claimants indicating an intention to sue for early payment of firearms compensation is not recorded. County court proceedings have been issued in four such cases, as follows:
Court Number of guns involved Current position Ilford 2 Case struck out as disclosing no reasonable cause of action Cheltenham 3 Awaiting hearing Norwich 8 Awaiting hearing West London 2 Subject to appeal The appeal in the fourth case above is by the Home Office against a District Judge's refusal to strike out the case as disclosing no reasonable cause of action. A further case, before a Sheriff Court in Scotland, has also been struck out.